Happinest Wildlife Rehabilitation & Rescue

Location :

ABOUT US:
Alix Parks and Sherry Teas are licensed through the TWRA and U.S. Fish & Wildlife to rehabilitate raptors, migratory songbirds and small mammals. Alix has been a licensed rehabber since 2005, and received her raptor permit in 2010. Sherry began as an apprentice with Alix in December 2012 and became licensed in 2014. As their friendship grew, they decided to create a partnership called Happinest Wildlife Rehabilitation & Rescue (HWR&R) later that same year. HWR&R started as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization as of November 16, 2015. David Zeno Beaty is currently our director and is working toward obtaining his raptor rehab permit. We are the only wildlife rescue in the greater Chattanooga area. At this time, The Chattanooga Zoo is the only local facility that helps us with intake of birds and animals.

ANIMAL CARE:
We receive calls from the public 24/7. When someone inquiries about an orphaned or injured animal in the wild, we try to instruct them on how to keep the animal safe and in its natural habitat or bring the animal to us for rehabilitation. When any animal comes to us, our goal is to prevent suffering and provide the care it needs to get back into the wild. Sometimes the best decision is euthanasia, but we always err on the side of life. Our injured and sick animal patients receive fluid therapy, pain medications, antibiotics, wound care, broken bone wraps, proper diets, vitamin supplements and security in a warm, quiet enclosure while they heal. We also raise abandoned babies who need around the clock care. As our animals grow or heal, we increase their living space and offer enrichment to simulate the way they live in the wild. Once they become strong and able to function on their own, we release them back where they came from or in a habitat that will meet their needs.

TIME & EFFORT:
We are volunteer rehabilitators ourselves and are always looking for additional people who are willing to help, especially during spring, summer and fall, the busy baby seasons. We need volunteers who are willing to clean cages, prepare food, administer medication, and sometimes pick up and transport animals that need to get to us. Also, occasionally we need volunteers who can help renest babies and monitor the activity to ensure success.

PROMOTING WILDLIFE AWARENESS: We are dedicated to the rehabilitation, conservation, and protection of Tennessee’s native wildlife. One of our other goals as rehabbers is to educate the public. Most people want to help wildlife but they are unsure how. We do educational presentations, update people through social media, invite the public to participate in releases and talk to people one-on-one any time we have an opportunity. We work with Tennessee State Parks to provide Park Rangers with non-releasable birds and mammals for public educational programs.

HOUSING & TRANSPORT:
We are currently caring for all the birds and animals in our homes with converted garages as our rehab area and aviaries in our backyards. Animals are delivered to our homes by the rescuers or they are taken to the Chattanooga Zoo for us to pick up, sometimes daily. We also drive to get animals when people do not have transportation, and we often help transport wildlife to the UT’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Knoxville or Walden’s Puddle Rehabilitation Center near Nashville.

OUR VISION:
It’s simple…we want to open a wildlife rehab facility that offers care for all our animals and birds in one location, with enough space to provide isolation areas for quarantined animals, and housing for non-releasable animals for education programs. We recognize the enormous need our area has for a wildlife hospital and rehab center, and we believe we will have the support from this community through volunteers, corporate sponsors, and private donors.

CONTRIBUTIONS:
Care for these animals is extremely costly and time consuming and has primarily been at our own personal expense. We occasionally receive donations averaging $20 or less. The cost to rehab each animal varies depending on the species in care, type of injury, dietary requirements, and length of stay. It is, at minimum, $60 per songbird, $75 to $100 for mammals, and more for raptors. On average, our intake numbers are about 500 songbirds, 100 mammals and 150 raptors per year. Donations help provide variable items like:

*Medical needs:
Prescription medication, professional Veterinary care, vitamin supplements, surgical gloves, IV fluids, first aid supplies, syringes, sub Q needles and tubing, miracle nipples
*Specialty Dietary needs:
Nutritional formulas for mammals and songbirds, frozen mice/quail, fish and minnows, mealworms, waxworms, crickets, earthworms, insectivore meal, variety of seeds, suet, high protein dog food and cat food, squirrel block, hummingbird protein nectar, oyster shell and grit, cuttle bone, Mazuri parrot breeder diet, egg protein w/probiotic meal
*Grocery items:
Sweet potatoes, fruit and berries, pure sugar, plain yogurt, greens and vegetables, yogurt, eggs, apple cider vinegar, baby food, Cheerios
*Cleaning supplies:
Bleach, laundry detergent, hand sanitizer, hand soap, Dawn original dishwashing liquid, dishwasher detergent, baking soda, alcohol
*Caging, crates and aviaries:
We have adequate cages and aviaries provided for our birds and animals but housing upgrades are always needed due to wear and tear from constant usage. Woodpeckers, squirrels, and raptors are very destructive so repairs and replacements are always needed. Extra caging, reptariums, crates and carriers of any size also helps with over-crowding.

• Anynomous

  21 April 2023

  Happy Rainy Friday from our very own Dawn baby! This is Mallory, she’s in the rehab after being found injured in a local parking lot after getting struck by a car. She’s on the mend, and enjoys a daily Dawn-free bath! Isn’t she a beauty? #mallard #nevergiveducksbread

  If you would like to send her some supplies, the wishlist link is in the comments! Thank you.

• Anynomous

  19 April 2023

  We can’t even count how many “dumped ducks” we’ve tried to save over the years. Easter ducks die a horrible death when they are dumped at the lake or ponds. People have no intentions on keeping them, yet they are domestic pets that don’t know how to survive in the wild. It’s no different than raising a puppy, then taking it to the lake once it’s bigger. It’s animal cruelty!!!! Please stop buying ducklings, chicks and bunnies for Easter! #shareifyoucare

• Anynomous

  07 April 2023

  We are heartbroken tonight. Three days ago, Eugene had a sudden nose bleed. After three vet visits, it was determined a fatal growth from the skull fracture as a baby. We made the decision to put him to sleep. Dr Shannon Dawkins was wonderful, and heartbroken as well. She’s been his vet from the very beginning. Eugene was the first opossum she neutered. He was Happinest’s first Education Ambassador, he served for two years. Eugene turned skeptics into advocates for opossums!... We watched him change people’s mind about misconceptions, and he was an amazing ambassador for his species. Special thanks for the care given to Eugene at VCSG. All the vets and techs this week made this agonizing experience bearable for us. Thank you to everyone who loved Eugene. It’s painful to lose him, but his precious memories will always bring us joy. It was a blessing to be his rehabber. @clawsandpawsmobilevet @vcsg_24_hour_emergency_vet @ Claws and Paws Mobile Veterinary Services

  See More

• Anynomous

  02 April 2023

  If you have questions about volunteering with us, let us know! Our lucky volunteers get to take care of lots of wildlife, as well as our education animals. Here’s Harolddean, (on the left) one of our education birds, assisting while her husband, Magoo, gets a pampering bath. Most of our songbirds stay wild, but Harolddean has even visited school children! We have a special education permit for her. If you have questions about volunteering or our birds, ask in the comments! 🐦🐦❤️ Email happinestvolunteer@gmail.com to request an application.

• Anynomous

  23 March 2023

  Happinest Wildlife Rehabilitation & Rescue needs several volunteers each day to feed, clean, and monitor the animals in their care. SPRINGTIME Baby season starts soon and they need more frequent feedings than adults.

  We have an urgent need for responsible volunteers to commit to a shift or two each week. You will learn SO much and enjoy every minute. Can you help for a few hours each week? We especially need help with baby birds and baby opossums in a few weeks.

  Email happinestvolunteer@gmail.com for an application.

• Anynomous

  05 March 2023

  Drum roll please! We'd like to introduce a newcomer to our nest and a first for our organization. Leigha (right) is a Northern Flying Squirrel. Northern Flying Squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus) are a federally and state listed endangered subspecies. Much less common than the Southern Flying Squirrel, their relatively small populations occur more commonly in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee and are vulnerable to habitat destruction and pollution. Leigha was caught by a cat, and then illegally kept for a year as a pet. The owners surrendered her to us, however, she is too imprinted to be released. Leigha will now serve along side our other education ambassadors. Don't forget today is Squirrel Appreciation Day!

• Anynomous

  14 February 2023

  Dr Dawkins is awesome, she is the vet Happinest uses. If you need a good vet that will come to you please check her out.

• Anynomous

  23 February 2024

  Need any last minute tax write offs or just want to help our injured wildlife? If so consider a donation to Happinest we are a licensed 501c3. We are on pace this year to release over 1,000 animals between all of the rehabbers. Your support allows us to continue our compassionate mission. No amount is too small as it all adds up. Thank you for your support and please share. Here are just a few of last years patients.

• Anynomous

  20 February 2024

  Horrible!!!!! It took me and Penny (transport volunteer) about 10 minutes to get this mockingbird off the glue trap!! He’s too stressed to bathe right now, but he’s been medicated and resting in a carrier on a heating pad. One wing might be injured but I’m not going to do a physical exam yet. This is one of the most upsetting parts of rehab. These glue traps are barbaric and no animal deserves to be tortured this way. #stopbuyinggluetraps #gluetrapsarecruel

• Anynomous

  18 February 2024

  ATTENTION CHATTANOOGA: We are very low on winter volunteers! If you are available 6 hours a month, we need your help. We have plenty of animal care opportunities with birds, turtles and opossums. Or for those who prefer to help “hands off”, we have local transports, fundraising, food preparation or data processing volunteer opportunities to offer. Weekly and bi-weekly shifts available. Must be 18 years old to volunteer.

  *Animal care can be dirty, tiring but rewarding. If you don’t mind cleaning poop, we have a job for you! 💩

  Email happinestvolunteer@gmail.com to request an application.

• Anynomous

  11 February 2024

  Will the young lady who contacted me about transporting the opossum to Nashville please contact me again? I have accidentally deleted the text. And I am making arrangements for the transport.

• Anynomous

  07 February 2024

  This Barred Owl was hit by a vehicle and has spinal trauma. With meds and supportive care Alix is hopeful for a full recovery.

• Anynomous

  23 January 2024

  This will make your heart smile! #flyingsquirrel #mealwormdelight #nativewildlife

• Anynomous

  22 January 2024

  We want to personally thank all our friends and donors for your gifts yesterday on #givingtuesday. We hoped to reach last year’s total of $1,200. Not only did we reach that goal...we DOUBLED IT at $2,450!! A portion of that total will be matched as well. We are blown away by everyone’s generosity. We are dedicated to helping injured and orphaned wildlife, and your support makes it possible! We hope your day is as blessed as you’ve made ours 💝